Former transgender inmate settles with prison officials

ATLANTA – A former transgender inmate who had complained that she didn't get adequate treatment for her gender identity condition has settled a lawsuit against Georgia prison officials.

Court records show Ashley Diamond voluntarily dismissed her lawsuit Thursday. Her lawyers at the Southern Poverty Law Center say the Department of Corrections agreed to pay Diamond an undisclosed amount of money as part of the settlement.

Diamond's suit, filed a year ago, said prison officials failed to provide adequate treatment for her gender dysphoria, a condition causing a person to experience extreme distress because of a disconnect between their birth sex and gender identity.

The Justice Department said in April that officials must treat a gender identity condition just as they would any other condition.